News, Articles and Comment

Ed. Sixteen years ago, in response to a History Today article for the 66^th anniversary of the Battle of Britain, Rules of the Game author Andrew Gordon examined the question of the strategic significance of the air battle (in which FAA pilots took part), and emphasized the RN’s role in stopping the German invasion before it could begin. Republished here from NR 95/1 for the 83^rd anniversary of the Battle. A 15 minute read.

Ed. No stranger to historical debate, the author defends the appeasement policy of the late 1930s in view of the dire need to buy time for rapid rearmament.

Ed. The author examines the difficulty of planning Operation CHROMITE, General MacArthur’s daring amphibious assault on Inchon during the Korean War. MacArthur’s ability to situate the landing in the strategic context of the Cold War, and his mastery of operational warfare, ensured that the local tactical difficulties were overcome. Winner of the Professor Eric Grove Memorial Prize at BRNC Dartmouth. A 15 minute read.

BRE. The latest book reviews are now available. One looks at the latest book by Brian Lavery on Royal yachts, the other looks at the Battle of the Bismarck Sea in March 1943.

Ed. The author argues that, in light of China and Russia’s rising regional influence, the UK needs to review its strategy in the Middle East. The Persian Gulf is sliding down Defence’s priorities, yet there remains a large military commitment, which, the author argues, does not represent a positive balance of investment. Should the MoD consider moving its maritime and air assets out of the Gulf? A 25 minute read.

BRE. The latest book review is now available. It considers a new edited volume on the role of the sea in Russian strategy, providing a discussion of historical context, operational art, strategy, and capability.

Ed. In this article RN Strategic Studies Centre (RNSSC) Visiting Fellow Dr Ziya Meral unpacks what the next five years of a new term for President Erdogan might look like, particularly Turkey’s foreign policy with specific reference to the Black Sea. A 5 minute read.

Ed. In a fascinating investigation of the real maritime capacities of Russia and NATO in the Baltic, the author concludes that the ascension of Finland and Sweden into NATO gives the Allies a crushing preponderance in those waters. Winner of the Eric Grove prize for BRNC Dartmouth. A 25 minute read

Ed. The author argues that the ‘art of Admiralty’ represents more than simply a debate over force structure or naval tactics, but instead embodies the cultural ethos of an island seapower state, and – crucially – the vehicle by which maritime thinking is cultivated and disseminated in government and to the broader population as a whole. A 15 minute read.